Sulforaphane Effects on Neuronal-like Cells and Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Exposed to 2.45 GHz Electromagnetic Radiation.

Exposure to 2.45 GHz electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emitted from commonly used devices has been reported to induce oxidative stress in several experimental models. Our study aims to evaluate the efficacy of sulforaphane, a well-known natural product, in preventing radiation-induced toxic effects caused by a 24 h exposure of SH-SY5Y neuronal-like cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to 2.

Fasting and meal-related zonulin serum levels in a large cohort of obese children and adolescents.

Introduction: Zonulin recently emerged as a valuable biological marker to assess the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier. Nevertheless, data about zonulin in pediatric age are extremely scarce. Aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum zonulin levels, both fasting and postprandial, with body mass index (BMI) and biochemical markers of insulin resistance (IR), insulin sensitivity, b-cell function and cardio-metabolic risk in obese non-diabetic youths.

The Exposure to 2.45 GHz Electromagnetic Radiation Induced Different Cell Responses in Neuron-like Cells and Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells.

Electromagnetic radiation emitted by commonly used devices became an issue for public health because of their harmful effects. Notably, 2.45 GHz electromagnetic radiation exposure has been associated with DNA damage and alterations in the central nervous system.

Central and peripheral sensitivity to thyroid hormones and glucose metabolism in prepubertal children with obesity: pilot multicenter evaluation.

Purpose: An alteration of central and peripheral sensitivity to thyroid hormones (THs) seems to be associated with an increased risk of prediabetes in adulthood. Aims of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the sensitivity to THs, the severity of overweight and the glyco-metabolic alterations in prepubertal euthyroid children with obesity.

Methods: Prepubertal subjects with simple obesity and matched controls were recruited from three Italian pediatric endocrinology centers and underwent clinical and biochemical evaluations.

Dietary Intake and Genetic Background Influence Vitamin Needs during Pregnancy.

Numerous approaches demonstrate how nutritional intake can be sufficient to ensure the necessary supply of vitamins. However, it is evident that not all vitamins are contained in all foods, so it is necessary either to combine different food groups or to use a vitamin supplement to be well-fed. During pregnancy, deficiencies are often exacerbated due to increased energy and nutritional demands, causing adverse outcomes in mother and child.

CO pneumoperitoneum effects on proliferation and apoptosis in two different neuroblastoma cell lines.

Purpose: The proto-oncogene MYCN is considered a transcription factor involved in the regulation of neuroblastoma (NB) cell biology. Since minimally invasive-surgery represents a debated treatment of NB, we investigated CO effects on proliferative activity and apoptotic pathway in two NB cell lines, SH-SY5Y (MYCN-non-amplified) and IMR-32 (MYCN-amplified).

Methods: SH-SY5Y and IMR-32 were exposed to CO (100%) at a pressure of 15 mmHg for 4 h and then moved to normal condition for 24 h.

Meal-Related Asprosin Serum Levels Are Affected by Insulin Resistance and Impaired Fasting Glucose in Children With Obesity.

Asprosin physiologically increases in fasting conditions and decreases with refeeding and has been implicated in glucose homeostasis. An alteration of meal-related circadian oscillation of asprosin has been suggested in adults affected by type 2 diabetes mellitus. Aims of this study were to test the hypothesis of an alteration in the meal-related variation of asprosin levels in non-diabetic children and adolescents with obesity and to assess which metabolic variables condition this variation in non-diabetic children and adolescents with obesity.

Methods to investigate advanced glycation end-product and their application in clinical practice.

Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are heterogeneous compounds of irreversible adducts principally derived from nonenzymatic glycation and glycoxidation of proteins. An increase in AGEs may be involved in the pathogenesis of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, chronic degenerative diseases, neurological diseases and cancer, and it has been suggested as a biomarker of oxidative stress. AGEs have been evaluated in different biological fluids, as well as in tissues.

Saliva testing as noninvasive way for monitoring exercise-dependent response in teenage elite water polo players: A cohort study.

Excessively increased training volume and/or intensity and competition can lead to development of overtraining syndrome, causing a performance decrement in athletes. Tracking individual response to exercise intensity is crucial for establishing recovery strategies.We assessed the exercise intensity-dependent variability of stress response biomarkers, namely cortisol (C), testosterone (T), s-IgA, and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), in saliva samples of teenage elite water polo players.

Influence of the SOD2 A16V gene polymorphism on alterations of redox markers and erythrocyte membrane fatty acid profiles in patients with multiple chemical sensitivity.

Chronically increased oxidative stress has been reported in patients with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS). Recently, a single nucleotide polymorphism of the gene coding for mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (SOD2), namely the missense substitution A16V (C47>T) resulting in alteration of SOD2 enzyme activity, has been reported to be associated with MCS. However, the influence of SOD2 A16V genetic background on redox status of patients with MCS has not yet been investigated.

Changes in the Biomarkers of Oxidative/Nitrosative Stress and Endothelial Dysfunction Are Associated with Cardiovascular Risk in Periodontitis Patients.

Patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and periodontitis (PT) show shared risk factors as result of the altered molecular mechanisms associated with pathological conditions. The aim of our study was to evaluate if the plasma biomarkers associated with endothelial dysfunction may also be related to alterations in the inflammatory status in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Patients with PT, coronary heart disease (CHD), or both diseases as well as controls were enrolled.

Asprosin serum levels and glucose homeostasis in children with obesity.

Purpose: Asprosin is a novel adipokine involved in glucose homeostasis, food intake regulation and energy homeostasis. However, the role of asprosin in glucose homeostasis regulation remains still controversial, especially in pediatrics. Aims of the study were to compare fasting serum asprosin levels between obese children and controls and to investigate the relationships of asprosin with body mass index (BMI) and biochemical markers of insulin resistance, insulin sensitivity, β-cell function and cardio-metabolic risk in obese non-diabetic children.

Baicalin-Induced Autophagy Preserved LPS-Stimulated Intestinal Cells from Inflammation and Alterations of Paracellular Permeability.

Several studies have demonstrated a relevant role of intestinal epithelial cells in the immune response and in chronic inflammatory conditions, including ulcers, colitis, and Crohn's disease. Baicalin (BA), extracted from the root of Scutellaria baicalensis, has various beneficial healthy effects, including anti-inflammatory activity. However, few studies have evaluated BA effects on autophagic signaling in epithelial cell response to inflammatory stimuli.

Is Melatonin the Cornucopia of the 21st Century?

Melatonin, an indoleamine hormone produced and secreted at night by pinealocytes and extra-pineal cells, plays an important role in timing circadian rhythms (24-h internal clock) and regulating the sleep/wake cycle in humans. However, in recent years melatonin has gained much attention mainly because of its demonstrated powerful lipophilic antioxidant and free radical scavenging action. Melatonin has been proven to be twice as active as vitamin E, believed to be the most effective lipophilic antioxidant.

Vitamin D Status Modulates Inflammatory Response in HIV+ Subjects: Evidence for Involvement of Autophagy and TG2 Expression in PBMC.

Conflicting results on the involvement of vitamin D deficiency in inflammatory and immune response in HIV+ subjects are reported. We aimed to characterize the possible influence of vitamin D status on changes in expression of tissue transglutaminase gene (TGM2) and other genes involved in inflammatory response and autophagy in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from HIV+ subjects. HIV+ subjects ( = 57) under antiretroviral therapy (ART) and healthy controls ( = 40) were enrolled.

Intracellular Fate and Impact on Gene Expression of Doxorubicin/Cyclodextrin-Graphene Nanomaterials at Sub-Toxic Concentration.

The graphene road in nanomedicine still seems very long and winding because the current knowledge about graphene/cell interactions and the safety issues are not yet sufficiently clarified. Specifically, the impact of graphene exposure on gene expression is a largely unexplored concern. Herein, we investigated the intracellular fate of graphene (G) decorated with cyclodextrins (CD) and loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) and the modulation of genes involved in cancer-associated canonical pathways.

Vitamin D status influences transcriptional levels of RANKL and inflammatory biomarkers which are associated with activation of PBMC.

Vitamin D status is involved in the risk of many chronic diseases including cancer, inflammatory and autoimmune disease. The RANK/RANKL/OPG system is also implicated in the orchestration of immune functions. We aimed to investigate the expression of RANKL, OPG and markers of inflammation and immune activation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy subjects with different 25(OH)D3 plasma levels.

Effect of the Compositions on the Biocompatibility of New Alumina-Zirconia-Titania Dental Ceramic Composites.

Dental implant biomaterials are expected to be in contact with living tissues, therefore their toxicity and osseointegration ability must be carefully assessed. In the current study, the wettability, cytotoxicity, and genotoxicity of different alumina-zirconia-titania composites were evaluated. The surface wettability determines the biological event cascade in the bioceramic/human living tissues interface.

The SNP rs2298383 Reduces ADORA2A Gene Transcription and Positively Associates with Cytokine Production by Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells in Patients with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.

Systemic inflammation and immune activation are striking features of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS). The rs2298383 SNP of gene, coding for adenosine receptor type 2A (A2AR), has been involved in aberrant immune activation. Here we aimed to assess the prevalence of this SNP in 279 MCS patients and 238 healthy subjects, and its influence on , and transcript amounts in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of randomly selected patients ( = 70) and controls ( = 66) having different genotypes.

The inverse relation between mitochondrial transmembrane potential and proteins α-helix in neuronal-like cells under static magnetic field and the role of VDAC.

In this study, a correlation between cell channel α-helices displacement and the mitochondrial transmembrane potential after exposure of 3, 7, 15 and 24 h of neuronal-like cells to a uniform magnetic field at the intensity of 2 mT was shown. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy and fluorescence techniques were used to analyze the secondary structure of protein content and mitochondrial transmembrane potential, respectively. The main result of this study was represented by a significant inverse relation between the mitochondrial transmembrane potential and the intensity of the Amide I band that can be associated with time exposure.

Hypoxia-Dependent Expression of TG2 Isoforms in Neuroblastoma Cells as Consequence of Different MYCN Amplification Status.

Transglutaminase 2 (TG2) is a multifunctional enzyme and two isoforms, TG2-L and TG2-S, exerting opposite effects in the regulation of cell death and survival, have been revealed in cancer tissues. Notably, in cancer cells a hypoxic environment may stimulate tumor growth, invasion and metastasis. Here we aimed to characterize the role of TG2 isoforms in neuroblastoma cell fate under hypoxic conditions.

Evaluation of salivary and serum asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels in patients with periodontal and cardiovascular disease as subclinical marker of cardiovascular risk.

Background: Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) plays a crucial role in endothelial function and maybe a link for the known interaction of periodontitis and coronary heart disease (CHD). In this pilot study, we compared the impact of gingival health, periodontitis (CP), CHD, or of both diseases (CP + CHD) on salivary and serum ADMA levels.

Methods: The clinical and periodontal characteristics, serum, and saliva samples were collected from 35 patients with CP, 33 patients with CHD, 35 patients with both CP + CHD, and 35 healthy subjects.

CO2 Pneumoperitoneum Effects on Molecular Markers of Tumor Invasiveness in SH-SY5Y Neuroblastoma Cells.

Introduction:  CO pneumoperitoneum can influence the biological behavior of neuroblastoma (NB). Angiogenesis and genetic features are responsible for malignant phenotype of this tumor. We examined the CO effects on N-Myc, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) expression as critical biomarkers of tumor invasiveness, in NB cells without N-Myc amplification.

Up-regulation of HIF-1α is associated with neuroprotective effects of agmatine against rotenone-induced toxicity in differentiated SH-SY5Y cells.

Agmatine, a metabolite generated by arginine decarboxylation, has been reported as neuromodulator and neuroactive substance. Several findings suggest that agmatine displays neuroprotective effects in several models of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's disease (PD). It has been hypothesized that biogenic amines may be involved in neuroprotection by scavenging oxygen radicals, thus preventing the generation of oxidative stress.